Sunday, April 29, 2007

Robert Webber

Upon reading the sad news below, I was reminded that the first of Robert Webber's books I encountered was Common Roots: A Call to Evangelical Maturity [1978], which included, as an appendix, "The Chicago Call: An Appeal to Evangelicals." The book set the agenda for much of what he advocated thereafter, although he has especially emphasized the aspect of purposeful, intentional, worship incorporating both ancient and modern elements that serve that purpose.

Some months ago I posted an interview he gave to Covenant Companion, "Worship: Awesome or Just Plain Awful?" Robert Webber wrote in a in a similar vein in a 2003 newsletter:
One of the greatest problems we face in the renewal of our worship is the misunderstanding we hold about the role of the self in worship. Too much of our worship is narcissistic; it's all about "me" and what "I do in worship." ....

It runs like this: "God, I am going to worship you. I consider you worthy of my worship. God, this is your lucky day. I, this self-sufficient, independent human being, around whom all of life centers, I am going to give you some of my time. I am going to declare you worthy of my worship."

So how do we go about correcting this misunderstanding? Only by understanding that worship focuses on God and God's mission to rescue the world through Jesus Christ. In words, signs, and gestures we sing, proclaim, and enact God's mission.

The heart of this story is that God assumed human nature so that we, whose humanity he shares, may be presented to the Father. By faith we are united to Jesus and baptized in his name. He is not only our Savior but also our worship.

Our worship is not an autonomous, independent act arising from self but is accomplished for us by Jesus himself. The work of Jesus is the only worship pleasing to the Father. Therefore, our worship—feeble, broken, and incomplete—is offered to God through Jesus who is the one true worship of God.

I find this biblical and ancient vision of worship to be enormously freeing.

It frees us from self-focused worship and all the legalisms associated with it. It is no longer "I am going to offer you my worship."

Instead, our worship is: "Thank you, Jesus, for doing for me what I can't do for myself … I can't save myself … I can't generate spirituality … I can't pray as I wish … I can't even worship you well."

Thanks be to God, this kind of worship puts us and our worship in its right place—under the complete Lordship of Christ. It's where self finds its true meaning and our worship is perfected in Jesus, whose service to God is what God finds pleasing and acceptable. Once this grace-filled worship grasps us, we are freed to allow our worship to be prayer.

Source: AncientFutureWorship.com | Robert Webber

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